Emulation Poem & Presentation
During the very first class, Mr. Keating demonstrates shows the boys that he has something more in mind for them
than simply to teach them literature. He offers them a dramatic, philosophical wake-up call. The verbal form of the
call is "Carpe Diem--seize the day!" Keating tells his students to take a look at Robert Herrick's famous lines:
Gather the rosebuds while ye may,
Old Time is still a-flying;
And this same flower that smiles today,
To-morrow will be dying.
"Why does the poet write these lines?" Keating asks, and he eventually answers himself with a flourish: "Because
we are food for worms, lads! Because we're only going to experience a limited number of springs, summers, and
falls. One day, hard as it is to believe, each and every one of us is going to stop breathing, turn cold, and die!"
To drive home this point, Keating makes the students look at the old photographs of former Welton students that
decorate the hallways. “They are not that different than any of you, are they? There's hope in their eyes, just like in
yours. They believe themselves destined for wonderful things, just like many of you. Well, where are those smiles
now, boys? What of that hope?" The students are sobered by what Keating is saying; then he continues:
Did most of them not wait until it was too late before making their lives into even one iota of what they were
capable? In chasing the almighty deity of success did they not squander their boyhood dreams? Most of those
gentlemen are fertilizing daffodils now. However, if you get very close, boys, you can hear them whisper. Go ahead,
lean in. Hear it? [Whispering] Carpe Diem, lads. Seize the day. Make your lives extraordinary!
And when the movie nears its conclusion, Neil’s father confronts him. "You are going to Harvard, and you are going
to be a doctor," he declares. Mr. Perry has made "too many sacrifices" to provide Neil with the opportunities that he
himself had never had, and he will not be deterred from pursuing the best life for Neil that he can think of. Neil has
no say in his future.
While the Dead Poets, together with Keating, celebrate the success of the play, Neil fails to come to terms with his
painful situation at his parents' home, which leads to his self-inflicted demise.
Just as Neil struggled to find his identity, so too did Todd—the new student with whom he roomed. Todd’s shyness
kept him from doing any readings at the Dead Poets meetings in the cave. His shyness led to Mr. Keating pushing
him to create a poem about Walt Whitman on the spot in class. And yet, upon Keating’s final departure from the
classroom, Todd defies Mr. Nolan and is the first student to step up onto his desktop and bid his teacher farewell by
saying, “Captain, my Captain.” In that moment, Todd discovers his voice.
So where is your voice? To the Romantics and the Transcendentalists, having the courage to stand alone and to see
the world through one's own eyes (and heart) is essential--to see through life's facades and get to what really matters.
To live each day selflessly, unaffected by what others may say is "normal." To grow up and move beyond one's own
selfishness, the childish ways of one's younger days, and to return to a time of innocence.
The Challenge
Referring to journals you've written throughout this unit, as well as to personal observations you've made
regarding Dead Poets Society and A Separate Peace, you will craft a poem that emulates a poem you and
your group has chosen. Not only will you write a poem in that style of your chosen author, but you will
also memorize and recite your poem to the class--much like how Todd delivered his poem in Dead Poets
Society--without notes! Yup.
The Analysis of a Published Poem
1. As a group, you will pick a challenging poem of high rigor. It must have at least 2+ stanzas. The
author must be professionally published and creditable.
2. As a group, you will explain the poem by just looking at the surface level. Explain what is
happening on the exterior of each line or stanza.
3. As a group, you will dissect the poem. Just like we do in class, you will pick apart the facts by
looking for writing techniques. Make sure you don’t just identify these techniques but explain
their effect. Comment on the structure and how it precisely identifies the flow and structure
and/or the structure’s efficiency.
4. As a group, you will analyze and interpret the poem. Using your explanation and dissection,
explain what the author’s purpose and theme is to the audience. Provide any background
knowledge or context that might enhance our understanding of the text.
5. As a group, create a handout that includes the poem, your interpretation, your dissection of
writing techniques, and your analysis. Email this to erin.martin@cusd200.org the evening before
your presentation.
The Creation of Your Own Poem
1. Content/Theme: Your poem must explore your perspective on what matters in life. Examine life
for inspiration regarding what you believe, how you live, your identity or voice, and your
connections to the themes we've explored while reading A Separate Peace and while viewing
Dead Poets Society.
2. Structure: To emulate means to imitate, so you will write your poem using the same structure as
your group's chosen poem. So if your author's poem has four stanzas, the poem you write will
have four stanzas. If your author's poem has five lines in each stanza, yours must have five lines
in each stanza. Simple!
3. Literary Devices: You must also incorporate the same literary devices used by your poet. So if
your author's poem uses imagery and repetition, then the poem you write must also use imagery
and repetition.
The Reflection of Your Own Poem
1. The Writing Prompt: Does your poem emulate the published poem?
2. Your composition will be 3+ paragraphs:
-An Introduction including the titles of both poems and your claim. You can give background
information or summaries of the poems if necessary.
-At least 1 Body Paragraph that includes evidence of how your poem emulates the techniques the
published author used. Also explain how these techniques enhance the theme or purpose of your
own poem.
-Finally, a conclusion reciting the main ideas and an explanation of what grade you think your
emulation poem deserves.
3. Follow MLA format and all punctuation, grammar, and writing rules you learned. No passive
voice, no contractions, avoid vague generalities, and pronouns. Remember this is formal writing!
The Presentation
1. As a group you will present your Analysis of a Published Poem using your handout. Make
sure you assign the following roles: Read the Poem, Interpret, Dissect, Analyze.
2. Individually, you will recite your own poem from memory.
Checklist
The Analysis of a Published Poem
___
Poem Selection (high academic rigor; stimulating in an appropriate manner)
___
Explanation (explain what is happening on the surface level; what are the events that happen in
the poem)
___
Dissection (accurately identifies literary devices and describes the purpose/effect; examine
structure and explain its influence; identify tone and how it is established)
___
Analyze and Interpretation (explain the theme of the poem; how does the author’s choices support
this theme; additional information to enhance understanding)
___
Handout
Creation of your Own Poem
___
Emulated Structure (emulates the author’s structure precisely and effectively)
___
Emulated Literary Devices (emulates the author’s use of literary devices effectively; contributes
to theme)
___
Rigorous Theme (meaningful and thought-provoking; inspired by emotion)
Reflection
___
Argumentative Claim (establishes focus; proves knowledge and understanding)
___
Evidence (examples from original and emulated poem)
___
Analysis (clear analysis of how purpose and/or effect contribute to theme)
___
Highlighted and Labeled Emulation and Original Poems
The Presentation
___
Group Effort (everyone speaks and contributes to the analysis)
___
Handout (includes title, author, group’s detailed annotations of poem; explanation of
effect/purpose)
___
Recitation of Emulation (proper slate; flawless memorization; professional delivery)
_______ # of line calls or lapse in memorization
___
DEDUCTIONS (lack of group effort, messy, missing MLA heading, spelling errors,
unclear/confusing writing, ______________________________________________)
100 Total Points
Failure to complete any of the checklist will result in deductions from your grade. Student’s grade will be
based upon the Common Core Speaking and Listening Presentation Rubric and Argumentative Writing
Rubric.
Holy Cow
Cow 1
Ms. Guzdziol
Advanced Freshman English—2
15 October 2014
STEP 1: Poetry Handout Example
Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel
SilversteinThere is a place where the
sidewalk ends
And before the street begins,
And there the grass grows soft and white,
Sidewalk ends is when you have
independence. Street is being grown up.
Grass are the people that are flourishing.
Sun is new and original ideas. Moon-bird is
representing wanting to be free or have life
be perfect. Peppermint wind is the obstacles
in life that you face.
And there the sun burns crimson bright,
And there the moon-bird rests from his flight
To cool in the peppermint wind.
Let us leave this place where the smoke
blows black
And the dark street winds and bends.
The place where the smoke blows black is
life. The Dark street is a pathway that
society leads you on. The pits with the
asphalt flowers are mistakes in life. Walk
the walk that is slow is being tired of life.
The chalk-white arrows are leading us to
happiness. Sidewalk ends is freedom.
Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow
We shall walk with a walk that is measured
and slow,
And watch where the chalk-white arrows go
To the place where the sidewalk ends.
Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured
and slow,
And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows
go,For the children, they mark, and the
children, they know
The place where the sidewalk ends
We are tired. And we will follow our path.
The children are trying to make their own
decisions. Adults are following after the
children who lead to freedom and
independence.
Cow 2
Annotations, Schemes, and Tropes
Trope- An example of a trope is: “past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow.” This trope
would be a metaphor, because it is identifying two things as one. Also it is comparing two unlike
things. This represents mistakes that people try to hide like asphalt covering pavement.
Scheme- An example of a scheme is a rhyme scheme: white and bright. This makes the poem
easier to remember and keeps it more flowy.
Theme and Overall Purpose
The theme that is shared with A Separate Peace is the innocence and ignorance of childhood.
The poem talks about a place where there is no path, which represents childhood and freedom of
imagination. The poem also talks about the asphalt pits, which probably means adulthood and the
holes you get stuck in when you follow the path. The narrator of the poem says that he wants to
follow the marks of the children, because children know how to control their imagination.
Background Information About the Author
Shel Silverstein was born on September 25, 1930 in Chicago, IL. Shel started writing when he
was 12 years old. He is an American poet, singer-songwriter, cartoonist, screenwriter, and also
an author of children’s books. Around the 1950’s, he enlisted into the armed forces and served in
the Korean War. He wrote many plays and songs, along with many books. He has his own
writing technique because when he started writing, he had no one who he could mimic. Mr. Shel
Silverstein passed away of a heart attack on May 10, 1999 in Key West, Florida.
Source: Ung, Meghan. "Shel Silverstein: Biography." Shel Silverstein: Biography. Humanities on the
Internet, 9 Dec. 2009. Web. 11 Oct. 2014.
Structure and Flow
The rhyming of the poem makes the poem easier to understand. It’s easier to understand because
the rhyming creates a rhythm to the poem which is intriguing to a reader. When something is
easier to understand it will make them pay more attention. The structure of the poem makes it
easy to break down, since the lines are each under twelve words. Also, you can tell the structure
of the poem is repetitive, meaning: you know what you are specifically referring to, and you
know the author is trying to emphasize the details of adults overcoming their mistakes when the
children are on the right path.
Step 2: Writing the Emulation Poem (Work together to highlight in class, then make your own
poem that emulates that exactly)
Holy Cow
Cow 1
Ms. Guzdziol
Advanced Freshman English—2
15 October 2014
Emulation Poem
My Poem: “Where Love is Real” by Rahima Jamal
There is a place where love is real
And after hate is concealed,
And there the sky is kind and blue,
And there the grass is jade dew,
And there the robin has a soft coo
To warm in the tomato sun.
Professional Poem: “Where the Sidewalk Ends” by
Shel Silverstein
There is a place where the sidewalk ends
And before the street begins,
And there the grass grows soft and white,
And there the sun burns crimson bright,
And there the moon-bird rests from his flight
To cool in the peppermint wind.
Let us leave the place where the ash grows white
And the dull sidewalks are steel.
Past the ditch where the tar roses bloom
We shall stride with a stride that is leisured with
doom,
Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black
And the dark street winds and bends.
Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow
We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And gaze where the gray-rust needles zoom
And watch where the chalk-white arrows go
To the place where love is real.
To the place where the sidewalk ends.
Yes we’ll stride with a stride that is leisured with
doom,
Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And we’ll go where the gray-rust needles zoom,
For the youngsters, they spot, and the youngsters,
they loom
And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go,
For the children, they mark, and the children, they
know
The place where the sidewalk ends.
The place where love is real.
KEY
Rhyme Scheme is AABBBC, DAEEEA, and EEEA in both poems
The theme is freedom, youth, and reality.
The effect is that the readers feel a sense of how the narrator struggles to get to the place where
the street begins or where love is real.
The purpose of these poems is to express a place where everything is good and children are the
closest to getting to that place.
Tropes
Schemes
Step 3: Argumentative Essay (3 Paragraphs total: introduction, argument body paragraph,
conclusion)
Intro paragraph: (4-5 sentences long)
Background /summaries on both poems (professional poem and your poem)
Claim: My poem, “____” is similar to the professional poem, “_____” because (three specific
ways in which you emulated that poem-rhyme scheme, use of similes, short sentences, theme,
purpose)
Argument Body Paragraph
Re-state claim: Topic sentence for the paragraph; all three examples go in this paragraph)
Rhyme scheme, similes, and purpose.
1. EVIDENCE: (Quote the professional poem and then compare that example to an example in
your poem)
INTERPRETATION (2-3 sentences explaining how your poem is similar to the example in the
professional poem)
EXIT: Concluding sentence that wraps up the first example.
2. EVIDENCE: Similes
INTERPRETATION (2-3 sentences explaining how your poem is similar to the example
in the professional poem)
EXIT: Concluding sentence that wraps up the second example.
3. EVIDENCE: Purpose
INTERPRETATION (2-3 sentences explaining how your poem is similar to the professional
example)
EXIT: Concluding sentence that wraps up the last example.
Conclusion Paragraph:
Summarize your main points
Argue which letter grade your poem deserves (back this up with explanation of why)